History of Jägermeister - Blood?

Jägermeister (German for master hunter in the sense of "expert" or "committed" hunter) is a strong 70-proof (35%) liqueur flavored with herbs (similar to Danish stomach bitters such as Gammel Dansk or the Hungarian Unicum). Unfortunately for the home brewers out there, forget trying to remake it at home. The exact list of the 56 herbs used is a secret. Although licorice is a major component of its flavor, it is not as predominant in Jägermeister as it is in true licorice-flavored liqueurs such as "Salmari", a Finnish liquor. In it's development, Jägermeister, has been rumored to contain some "crude" ingredients but contrary to the urban legends, Jägermeister does not contain deer blood or opium.

Jägermeister is the main product of Mast-Jägermeister AG. The company's headquarters are in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Germany. In 1934, the recipe for the herbal liquor was developed, and the product was introduced to the German market by 1935. What's funny is original purpose of this concoction was medicinal; being used to cure everything from an incessant cough to digestive problems. Who would have guessed that Jägermeister is so closely related to "Uncle Bucks Mystery Tonic". In Germany, it is still widely recognized as a digestif and is kept in many German households for such purposes. Beginning in 1970, it was being exported into 60 countries like the USA whereit became popular through savvy promotion by Sidney Frank. The product was widely exploited as an alcoholic "shooter".

The Jägermeister logo, the head of a stag with a glowing cross between the antlers, is a reference to the story of Saint Hubert. On the edge of the label of a Jägermeister bottle, the following poem by Otto von Riesenthal is printed:

Das ist des Jägers Ehrenschild,
daß er schützt und hegt sein Wild,
weidmännisch jagt, wie sich's gehört,
den Schöpfer im Geschöpfe ehrt.

In English:

This is the hunter's honor shield,
to protect and nourish his game,
to hunt in the proper way,
to honor the Creator in the creature.